Key takeaways
- Identify whether each record concerns a plan, a commitment or a completed event.
- Link the relevant references without assuming their quantities must be identical.
- Preserve authorised amendments and final delivery evidence.
- Reconcile the invoice against the operative purchase and completed supply.
Rotterdam's notification context
Portbase's Notification Bunkers service supports electronic prenotification of planned bunkering activities in Rotterdam and Dordrecht. Portbase Notification Bunkers
The word planned matters to the commercial review. The notification provides context for the intended activity, while the final delivery evidence serves a different purpose. The desk should avoid treating a screenshot of the plan as a receipt.
For a current transaction, the planned-to-final record status is not provided; obtain current verified information. Identify the operative order, relevant notification reference, final delivery evidence and any unresolved mismatch. Do not publish private portal credentials or screenshots containing sensitive data.
Label the event status before comparing numbers
A preliminary enquiry quantity, confirmed order quantity and final delivered quantity can differ for legitimate reasons that require explanation. A record should therefore carry its status and reference date, not just a number and vessel name.
If the requirement was amended, preserve the authorised change and link it to the operative order. Do not infer that a new quantity in a planning record automatically changed the commercial agreement.
Conversely, a confirmed purchase amendment may require the responsible party to review the related notification. The buyer's task is to identify the inconsistency and coordinate correction through the appropriate owner, not to assume control of another party's reporting responsibilities.
Distinguish a missing link from a wrong record
Different systems may use separate identifiers for the same intended supply. Ask for a supported cross-reference before declaring the records unrelated. A difference in reference format is not the same as a difference in vessel, grade or event.
Where the information genuinely conflicts, identify the exact field and its consequence. A location change may affect the delivery proposition, while a quantity change may affect the fuel value or minimum charge. The review should explain why the discrepancy matters.
Do not silently standardise the values to make the file match. Preserve the original evidence and the authorised explanation, especially where a completed event differs from its earlier plan.
A record-purpose comparison
| Record | What it describes | What it does not establish alone |
|---|---|---|
| Enquiry | Requested commercial proposition | An accepted order |
| Purchase confirmation | Agreed scope and conditions | Actual completion of supply |
| Planned activity notification | Intended bunkering event | Final delivered quantity |
| Authorised amendment | Agreed change within its scope | Automatic correction of every other record |
| Final delivery evidence | Recorded completed supply | Every invoice charge or payment instruction |
| Invoice | Seller's requested commercial amount | Agreement that all components are payable |
The table makes the review more precise. Instead of asking whether the file is complete, ask whether each material question has the right evidence.
Close the plan-to-actual bridge
After delivery, connect the completed event to the order and its authorised amendments. Explain material differences from the earlier planned activity, such as a changed quantity or period, using the responsible parties' records.
The invoice calculation should use the applicable agreed price and charging basis. Do not choose the largest or most recent quantity merely because it appears in an official-looking record.
Where a minimum, fixed service amount or other mechanism applies, show it separately from physical delivery. This avoids rewriting the completed event to fit a commercial calculation.
Fictional case: an old plan reaches accounts payable
A fictional operator reduces a Rotterdam fuel order after the responsible vessel team confirms a lower requirement. The seller agrees the amendment, and the final delivery evidence reflects the revised supply.
Accounts payable receives an earlier planned-activity extract with the original quantity and queries the lower invoice as incomplete. The procurement desk supplies the amendment and final record, explaining that the earlier document described a plan rather than the completed delivery.
The file is reconciled without deleting the original planning evidence. Its role is clear, and the team can reconstruct why the delivered and charged quantities differ from the first proposal.
Allocate corrections to the responsible owner
If the operative information changes before delivery, identify which party must review each affected record. A supplier, agent, buyer and vessel team may own different elements of the information chain.
The commercial handover should state the unresolved correction and deadline without assuming the buyer has authority to amend every system. Follow the appropriate authorised channel and retain confirmation that the relevant change was addressed.
Check the current text and obtain appropriate review where a discrepancy affects reporting obligations, notices or payment rights. This article explains evidence coordination, not how to submit or operate the notification service.
Common mistakes
Do not treat prenotification as proof of completed delivery. Other errors include assuming a planning update amends the purchase, forcing every quantity to match and paying from an obsolete order. A supported cross-reference is useful, but it should not conceal a genuine difference in product, vessel or event.
Where Zeaclub fits
Zeaclub provides a multi-party shared workspace for owners, charterers, brokers and port agents.
Zeaclub offers digitalised procedures across the voyage workflow.
Explore Zeaclub
Educational information only; not legal, financial or trading advice. Contract wording and applicable rules control. Verify current requirements and obtain qualified advice before acting.
Frequently asked questions
Is a planned activity record a delivery receipt?
No. Obtain the appropriate final evidence for the completed supply.
Must the planned and delivered quantities be equal?
Not necessarily. Explain any difference through the operative agreement, amendments and final records.
Can the buyer correct every related notification?
Use the authorised owner and process. The buyer should coordinate the discrepancy without assuming another party's authority.
What should the reconciliation status show?
Identify the operative order, linked plan, final evidence and any material unresolved difference.